Confessions of a former seminar junkie

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By Teresa Leung

With a plethora of real estate investment seminar companies in the Canadian marketplace, most of them promising to help create massive wealth, it’s hard for a novice investor to determine which is best for their individual set of circumstances.

Over the past three years, in the pursuit of real estate investing success, I have attended more than a dozen different real estate seminars. Sometimes I would see the same people at each seminar, and we would joke around with one another, calling ourselves “seminar junkies.” Some of my fellow junkies were full-time investors, some had bought a property here and there, and some were simply looking for a beginner’s education.

But not all seminars are created equal. It really depends on where you are financially and what your investment goals are. To help out any “seminar junkie,” I’ve highlighted three of Canada’s real estate investing education companies, providing details on what they offer, what they charge and which types of investors are suited to each.

Real Estate Investment Network (REIN)

REIN has been around since 1992, and was founded by Don Campbell, a successful investor and a regular columnist in CREW magazine. The organization offers monthly education and networking workshops, monthly “Behind the Curtains” report on real estate news, a monthly magazine, an online member forum, and an annual three-day intensive workshop.

The cost of being a primary REIN member is $199/month with an 18-month commitment, while associate members pay $99/month (those going under another REIN member who is a spouse or a business partner). Option coaching sessions cost between $99-$499/month, depending on the level.

I believe that investors who are “Motivated Go-Getters” would benefit the most from a REIN membership. Many of my mentors and business partners are REIN members who are making some serious money with real estate investing as their full-time business.

Keyspire

Keyspire, formerly known as Lifetime Wealth Academy, was founded in 2012 by Michael Sarracini and Scott McGillivray of HGTV’s hit renovations show, Income Property.

It offers year-round, three-day Investor Summits with expert guest speakers; Mastery 90 Events, which include quarterly market updates, networking and goal-setting workshops in local member cities; online training webinars in all topics around real estate investment; video blogs with real estate experts; an online member forum; and access to proprietary investing software.

The cost of annual membership is $15,000 for two people, while a three-day workshop runs at $1,997 for two people, and a two-hour Introductory Wealth Tour workshop is just $25 or free if registering online prior to the event.

I would recommend Keyspire for professionals, business entrepreneurs and company executives who currently owns under-performing investments with their banks or financial advisor, and want to learn options with real estate that produces much better returns.

CREW’s InvestorForum

CREW’S annual InvestorForum is a weekend event that takes place annually in Toronto. The event has real estate investment experts from all across Canada to teach novice to experienced investors about specialized topics.

The InvestorForum offers successful investor speakers throughout the weekend in keynote addresses and workshops; a luncheon awards ceremony that recognizes the Top Investors of the Year; and networking opportunities with fellow investors and other experts on the trade show floor.

The cost of the weekend runs between $67 and $495, depending on whether you want to attend the sit-down luncheon or just pick and choose the events you are interested in.

The InvestorForum is a great place to learn and to meet investment suppliers, from Realtors to real estate investment firms, to accountants and lawyers who work with investors. Delegates get to meet some of Canada’s most knowledgeable speakers and experts, making this an annual event that should not be missed.

Teresa Leung is an active investor and Realtor specializing in helping people to grow their wealth exponentially through the acquisition of income rental properties. She was also one of CREW’s finalists for Realtor of the Year at the 2015 Top Investor Awards. Find out more at www.pointBinvestment.ca.

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COMMENTS

by LG McGhee2016-01-15 10:32:46 PM

Above comments on all 3 Real Estate Invesment Companies was written by CREW- so of course they will tell you there's is # 1. Meanwhile Keyspire in the top 5 fastest growing companies in CANADA! Forget about Real Estate- it is one of the top 5 earners in Canada!

by Dont-think-so2016-03-06 3:20:35 AM

@LGMcGhee -- forget about real estate? tell that to all the investors especially foreign investors in Vancouver where Vancouver's real estate market is more valuable then gold.

by LM Peroff2016-03-31 2:14:42 AM

Quote: The cost of annual membership is $15,000 for two people ... [from Keyspire section of the article]

I'm a Keyspire member now in my 3rd year with the group. The initial investment is $15,000 for two people for the first year. However, renewals are considerably less. My renewal fee is $499.00 for the upcoming year.